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sciatica, for janice



 
 
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  #1  
Old July 15th, 2004, 03:04 PM
Dewolla Stepon
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default sciatica, for janice

janice, you wrote:

I was interested to see you mention your sciatica. This is something
that has entered my life for the first time ever, during the past few
months. It's never been a problem before, even at my highest weight,
and I've been asking myself if it's something that might clear up if I
complete my weight loss journey, but I didn't really believe it would
- unlike the pains in my feet which do clear up each time I lose
weight, and return each time I regain it


If it's not too boring, can you say a bit more about your sciatica and
how it changed as you lost weight - it might help inspire me.


I'd be glad to share. First, a little background: I have a history of DVT
which has tendency to want to kill me by throwing off blood clots into my
lungs (three so far), and without a discernable physiological cause my
doctor has me on blood thinners for life. That precludes me from taking
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) like Ibuprofin or Celebrex for
pain, so I'm limited to either Tylenol or Vicodin (which is Tylenol plus
Codeine).

Tylenol doesn't do much for my pain relief and the Vicodin just wipes me
out, so I've sort of been trying to avoid pain for the last couple of years.

My sciatica began around five years ago, I was 60-70 pounds overweight then
and was about two years into my foot problems (plantar fasciitis). I
learned that a "spell" was about to come on when my butt, my right cheek,
would start getting sore for no apparent reason. Then I would get the sharp
throbbing pains down the right leg for a week or two. The doctor told me I
had a disc in my spine which was deteriorating, so the progression of
pressure on the sciatic nerve is inevitable. Being very tall doesn't help;
when I'm lifting or pushing things my back has to support a lot of force.
The only relief would be to strengthen my back.

Trying to get better through immobility (hah!) I became less and less
active. The key, I thought, was to just keep my spine in a neutral
position. Back then, if I wanted to, I could wiggle my lower back around
and feel the nerve being pinched. Since my feet hurt I couldn't walk to
help my back muscles, and being overweight I couldn't do the exercises to
help. Since my back hurt I couldn't do the foot exercises to help my heel
spurs. Since I was on blood thinners I couldn't take the medications which
would ease the pain.

So, I started dieting. I think the weight loss helped in a couple of ways.
First, I carried most of my excess weight out front and that didn't help my
spine stay neutral. With the weight loss my feet improved to the point
where I could walk again, and walking helps the back. Getting off my butt
and moving around is helping strengthen all my back muscles which helps
support my spine.

I'm still very careful to avoid twisting my lower back, and the safety
posters saying "lift with your knees, not your back" don't lie. I now use
knee pads when gardening, make sure I grab something to help me stand up,
lift with my knees, walk a lot, and my weight is now better balanced over my
hips.

I don't know if my experiences are normal or if my cause/effect assumptions
are correct, but I'm happy. All I really know is that my back hasn't given
me problems for awhile; I can do things now I couldn't do just last year;
and I won't go back to the way I was.

Hope this helps, janice. The older we get the more we have to take care of
ourselves. I wish I believed that ten years ago, but all young(ish) people
are invincible. Like my father said when he was 83, "If I'd known I was
going to live this long I would've taken better care of myself."

- Dewolla


  #2  
Old July 16th, 2004, 07:02 AM
janice
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default sciatica, for janice

On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 14:04:07 GMT, "Dewolla Stepon"
wrote:

janice, you wrote:


If it's not too boring, can you say a bit more about your sciatica and
how it changed as you lost weight - it might help inspire me.


I'd be glad to share. First, a little background: I have a history of DVT
which has tendency to want to kill me by throwing off blood clots into my
lungs (three so far), and without a discernable physiological cause my
doctor has me on blood thinners for life. That precludes me from taking
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) like Ibuprofin or Celebrex for
pain, so I'm limited to either Tylenol or Vicodin (which is Tylenol plus
Codeine).

Tylenol doesn't do much for my pain relief and the Vicodin just wipes me
out, so I've sort of been trying to avoid pain for the last couple of years.

My sciatica began around five years ago, I was 60-70 pounds overweight then
and was about two years into my foot problems (plantar fasciitis). I
learned that a "spell" was about to come on when my butt, my right cheek,
would start getting sore for no apparent reason. Then I would get the sharp
throbbing pains down the right leg for a week or two. The doctor told me I
had a disc in my spine which was deteriorating, so the progression of
pressure on the sciatic nerve is inevitable. Being very tall doesn't help;
when I'm lifting or pushing things my back has to support a lot of force.
The only relief would be to strengthen my back.

Trying to get better through immobility (hah!) I became less and less
active. The key, I thought, was to just keep my spine in a neutral
position. Back then, if I wanted to, I could wiggle my lower back around
and feel the nerve being pinched. Since my feet hurt I couldn't walk to
help my back muscles, and being overweight I couldn't do the exercises to
help. Since my back hurt I couldn't do the foot exercises to help my heel
spurs. Since I was on blood thinners I couldn't take the medications which
would ease the pain.

So, I started dieting. I think the weight loss helped in a couple of ways.
First, I carried most of my excess weight out front and that didn't help my
spine stay neutral. With the weight loss my feet improved to the point
where I could walk again, and walking helps the back. Getting off my butt
and moving around is helping strengthen all my back muscles which helps
support my spine.

I'm still very careful to avoid twisting my lower back, and the safety
posters saying "lift with your knees, not your back" don't lie. I now use
knee pads when gardening, make sure I grab something to help me stand up,
lift with my knees, walk a lot, and my weight is now better balanced over my
hips.

I don't know if my experiences are normal or if my cause/effect assumptions
are correct, but I'm happy. All I really know is that my back hasn't given
me problems for awhile; I can do things now I couldn't do just last year;
and I won't go back to the way I was.

Hope this helps, janice. The older we get the more we have to take care of
ourselves. I wish I believed that ten years ago, but all young(ish) people
are invincible. Like my father said when he was 83, "If I'd known I was
going to live this long I would've taken better care of myself."

- Dewolla

Thanks for the information Dewolla. The pains start in my right cheek
too and extend down my thigh. I haven't taken any pain killers as I'm
not in pain all day, but it's always with me when I do the things that
make it hurt - going upstairs in particular, and sometimes I feel it
when I walk and sometimes I don't. I still do long walks as I won't
let this stop me. The worst thing is I find it hard to lie in any
position in bed that doesn't bring on the shooting pains in my
backside, which disturbs my sleep. Sometimes I can't get comfortable
on a hard chair, but this only happens occasionally.

I carry nearly all my weight on my hips and thighs. I do wonder if
the pain is worst going upstairs because of having to hoist my weight
up on that leg. I'm so glad you've got rid of your symptoms, and I
will use this as another incentive to finish my weight loss journey!

thanks again

janice
233/183/133
  #3  
Old July 16th, 2004, 03:14 PM
EEC
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default sciatica, for janice

Getting a good massage will help with the pain from sciatica...at least it
helps me. I have problems with flareups when I squat heavy or do Good
Mornings. One warning though...the actual massage process on the nerve can
be a bit painful, but take heart that relief is right around the corner.
Good luck...it is not fun, I know! Elise.
"janice" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 14:04:07 GMT, "Dewolla Stepon"
wrote:

janice, you wrote:


If it's not too boring, can you say a bit more about your sciatica and
how it changed as you lost weight - it might help inspire me.


I'd be glad to share. First, a little background: I have a history of

DVT
which has tendency to want to kill me by throwing off blood clots into my
lungs (three so far), and without a discernable physiological cause my
doctor has me on blood thinners for life. That precludes me from taking
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) like Ibuprofin or Celebrex

for
pain, so I'm limited to either Tylenol or Vicodin (which is Tylenol plus
Codeine).

Tylenol doesn't do much for my pain relief and the Vicodin just wipes me
out, so I've sort of been trying to avoid pain for the last couple of

years.

My sciatica began around five years ago, I was 60-70 pounds overweight

then
and was about two years into my foot problems (plantar fasciitis). I
learned that a "spell" was about to come on when my butt, my right cheek,
would start getting sore for no apparent reason. Then I would get the

sharp
throbbing pains down the right leg for a week or two. The doctor told me

I
had a disc in my spine which was deteriorating, so the progression of
pressure on the sciatic nerve is inevitable. Being very tall doesn't

help;
when I'm lifting or pushing things my back has to support a lot of force.
The only relief would be to strengthen my back.

Trying to get better through immobility (hah!) I became less and less
active. The key, I thought, was to just keep my spine in a neutral
position. Back then, if I wanted to, I could wiggle my lower back around
and feel the nerve being pinched. Since my feet hurt I couldn't walk to
help my back muscles, and being overweight I couldn't do the exercises to
help. Since my back hurt I couldn't do the foot exercises to help my

heel
spurs. Since I was on blood thinners I couldn't take the medications

which
would ease the pain.

So, I started dieting. I think the weight loss helped in a couple of

ways.
First, I carried most of my excess weight out front and that didn't help

my
spine stay neutral. With the weight loss my feet improved to the point
where I could walk again, and walking helps the back. Getting off my

butt
and moving around is helping strengthen all my back muscles which helps
support my spine.

I'm still very careful to avoid twisting my lower back, and the safety
posters saying "lift with your knees, not your back" don't lie. I now

use
knee pads when gardening, make sure I grab something to help me stand up,
lift with my knees, walk a lot, and my weight is now better balanced over

my
hips.

I don't know if my experiences are normal or if my cause/effect

assumptions
are correct, but I'm happy. All I really know is that my back hasn't

given
me problems for awhile; I can do things now I couldn't do just last year;
and I won't go back to the way I was.

Hope this helps, janice. The older we get the more we have to take care

of
ourselves. I wish I believed that ten years ago, but all young(ish)

people
are invincible. Like my father said when he was 83, "If I'd known I was
going to live this long I would've taken better care of myself."

- Dewolla

Thanks for the information Dewolla. The pains start in my right cheek
too and extend down my thigh. I haven't taken any pain killers as I'm
not in pain all day, but it's always with me when I do the things that
make it hurt - going upstairs in particular, and sometimes I feel it
when I walk and sometimes I don't. I still do long walks as I won't
let this stop me. The worst thing is I find it hard to lie in any
position in bed that doesn't bring on the shooting pains in my
backside, which disturbs my sleep. Sometimes I can't get comfortable
on a hard chair, but this only happens occasionally.

I carry nearly all my weight on my hips and thighs. I do wonder if
the pain is worst going upstairs because of having to hoist my weight
up on that leg. I'm so glad you've got rid of your symptoms, and I
will use this as another incentive to finish my weight loss journey!

thanks again

janice
233/183/133



  #4  
Old July 16th, 2004, 03:14 PM
EEC
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default sciatica, for janice

Getting a good massage will help with the pain from sciatica...at least it
helps me. I have problems with flareups when I squat heavy or do Good
Mornings. One warning though...the actual massage process on the nerve can
be a bit painful, but take heart that relief is right around the corner.
Good luck...it is not fun, I know! Elise.
"janice" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 14:04:07 GMT, "Dewolla Stepon"
wrote:

janice, you wrote:


If it's not too boring, can you say a bit more about your sciatica and
how it changed as you lost weight - it might help inspire me.


I'd be glad to share. First, a little background: I have a history of

DVT
which has tendency to want to kill me by throwing off blood clots into my
lungs (three so far), and without a discernable physiological cause my
doctor has me on blood thinners for life. That precludes me from taking
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) like Ibuprofin or Celebrex

for
pain, so I'm limited to either Tylenol or Vicodin (which is Tylenol plus
Codeine).

Tylenol doesn't do much for my pain relief and the Vicodin just wipes me
out, so I've sort of been trying to avoid pain for the last couple of

years.

My sciatica began around five years ago, I was 60-70 pounds overweight

then
and was about two years into my foot problems (plantar fasciitis). I
learned that a "spell" was about to come on when my butt, my right cheek,
would start getting sore for no apparent reason. Then I would get the

sharp
throbbing pains down the right leg for a week or two. The doctor told me

I
had a disc in my spine which was deteriorating, so the progression of
pressure on the sciatic nerve is inevitable. Being very tall doesn't

help;
when I'm lifting or pushing things my back has to support a lot of force.
The only relief would be to strengthen my back.

Trying to get better through immobility (hah!) I became less and less
active. The key, I thought, was to just keep my spine in a neutral
position. Back then, if I wanted to, I could wiggle my lower back around
and feel the nerve being pinched. Since my feet hurt I couldn't walk to
help my back muscles, and being overweight I couldn't do the exercises to
help. Since my back hurt I couldn't do the foot exercises to help my

heel
spurs. Since I was on blood thinners I couldn't take the medications

which
would ease the pain.

So, I started dieting. I think the weight loss helped in a couple of

ways.
First, I carried most of my excess weight out front and that didn't help

my
spine stay neutral. With the weight loss my feet improved to the point
where I could walk again, and walking helps the back. Getting off my

butt
and moving around is helping strengthen all my back muscles which helps
support my spine.

I'm still very careful to avoid twisting my lower back, and the safety
posters saying "lift with your knees, not your back" don't lie. I now

use
knee pads when gardening, make sure I grab something to help me stand up,
lift with my knees, walk a lot, and my weight is now better balanced over

my
hips.

I don't know if my experiences are normal or if my cause/effect

assumptions
are correct, but I'm happy. All I really know is that my back hasn't

given
me problems for awhile; I can do things now I couldn't do just last year;
and I won't go back to the way I was.

Hope this helps, janice. The older we get the more we have to take care

of
ourselves. I wish I believed that ten years ago, but all young(ish)

people
are invincible. Like my father said when he was 83, "If I'd known I was
going to live this long I would've taken better care of myself."

- Dewolla

Thanks for the information Dewolla. The pains start in my right cheek
too and extend down my thigh. I haven't taken any pain killers as I'm
not in pain all day, but it's always with me when I do the things that
make it hurt - going upstairs in particular, and sometimes I feel it
when I walk and sometimes I don't. I still do long walks as I won't
let this stop me. The worst thing is I find it hard to lie in any
position in bed that doesn't bring on the shooting pains in my
backside, which disturbs my sleep. Sometimes I can't get comfortable
on a hard chair, but this only happens occasionally.

I carry nearly all my weight on my hips and thighs. I do wonder if
the pain is worst going upstairs because of having to hoist my weight
up on that leg. I'm so glad you've got rid of your symptoms, and I
will use this as another incentive to finish my weight loss journey!

thanks again

janice
233/183/133



  #5  
Old July 16th, 2004, 04:10 PM
susanjoneslewis
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default sciatica, for janice

"Dewolla Stepon" wrote in message
news:r9wJc.82935$a24.20927@attbi_s03...

This is interesting to me because I think I may have suffered from this
just recently. It rings allot of bells. I have this ache in my left
butt cheek that radiates down my left leg. I've been calling it my hip.
I thought maybe it was tendonitis in my hip. I'm pretty much Ok if I'm
up and moving but the moment I sit down or lie down its unbearable. This
was just last week when it got worse because I was working allot of
hours. 2 nights I spent up and down from bed, until I went exhausted,
and slightly hysterical to the sofa and finally got a couple of hours
sleep. I have tried every over the counter pain med I could find and
even resorted to taking a vicoden I had gotten from the dentist some
time back which didn't bring allot of relief. I was blaming this on
working too much and my broken tailbone from several years back. Since
I've had a few days off the pain has lightened up. I had no idea
sciatica existed. Thanks for the thread. I'm going to have this checked
out. Any suggestions on how to manage this when it's worse?

Susan
280/189(yay! another lb down today)/140


  #6  
Old July 16th, 2004, 04:24 PM
JMA
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default sciatica, for janice


"susanjoneslewis" wrote in message
m...
"Dewolla Stepon" wrote in message
news:r9wJc.82935$a24.20927@attbi_s03...

This is interesting to me because I think I may have suffered from this
just recently. It rings allot of bells. I have this ache in my left
butt cheek that radiates down my left leg. I've been calling it my hip.
I thought maybe it was tendonitis in my hip. I'm pretty much Ok if I'm
up and moving but the moment I sit down or lie down its unbearable. This
was just last week when it got worse because I was working allot of
hours. 2 nights I spent up and down from bed, until I went exhausted,
and slightly hysterical to the sofa and finally got a couple of hours
sleep. I have tried every over the counter pain med I could find and
even resorted to taking a vicoden I had gotten from the dentist some
time back which didn't bring allot of relief. I was blaming this on
working too much and my broken tailbone from several years back. Since
I've had a few days off the pain has lightened up. I had no idea
sciatica existed. Thanks for the thread. I'm going to have this checked
out. Any suggestions on how to manage this when it's worse?

Susan
280/189(yay! another lb down today)/140


I don't know much about sciatica other than the people I know who have it
don't find much relief from medications. I do know a bit about broken
tailbones though. I broke mine in Dec. and it's never been the same since.
Interestingly enough, it really flares up during PMS so there is some kind
of cramps or swelling that is instigating it. I have a friend who broke her
tailbone 8 years ago while delivering her daughter and she said it still
flares up regularly. She recommended heat so I got those heat patches that
you can stick right onto the lower back. They really seem to help and you
can wear them under your clothes all day. I even work out with it on.

Jenn


  #7  
Old July 16th, 2004, 07:32 PM
janice
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default sciatica, for janice

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 15:10:42 GMT, "susanjoneslewis"
wrote:

"Dewolla Stepon" wrote in message
news:r9wJc.82935$a24.20927@attbi_s03...

This is interesting to me because I think I may have suffered from this
just recently. It rings allot of bells. I have this ache in my left
butt cheek that radiates down my left leg. I've been calling it my hip.
I thought maybe it was tendonitis in my hip. I'm pretty much Ok if I'm
up and moving but the moment I sit down or lie down its unbearable. This
was just last week when it got worse because I was working allot of
hours. 2 nights I spent up and down from bed, until I went exhausted,
and slightly hysterical to the sofa and finally got a couple of hours
sleep. I have tried every over the counter pain med I could find and
even resorted to taking a vicoden I had gotten from the dentist some
time back which didn't bring allot of relief. I was blaming this on
working too much and my broken tailbone from several years back. Since
I've had a few days off the pain has lightened up. I had no idea
sciatica existed. Thanks for the thread. I'm going to have this checked
out. Any suggestions on how to manage this when it's worse?

Susan
280/189(yay! another lb down today)/140

It does sound like what I have, Susan, which I have already described
in this thread so won't repeat here. I started by thinking it was my
hip, but then I realised that nerve pain made a lot more sense.
Whether I've been in pain all night has no effect on whether it hurts
during the following day. It can come and go and doesn't leave
stiffness like a muscle pain would do. The first thing I was glad to
find was that pain in the hip joint is felt mostly in the groin. I
dread having arthritic hips.

It was finally doing a lot of reading on the internet about symptoms
(thigh pain, etc,) which led me to suspect sciatica, which although
I'd heard of it I had no real idea what it was.

I can't offer any suggestions for dealing with the pain when it gets
really bad. Personally, I don't take pain killers unless pain is
really unbearable. My worst problem with this is the shooting pains
that come so often when I lie down. It does sound a lot like what you
have.

janice
  #8  
Old July 16th, 2004, 07:32 PM
janice
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default sciatica, for janice

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 15:10:42 GMT, "susanjoneslewis"
wrote:

"Dewolla Stepon" wrote in message
news:r9wJc.82935$a24.20927@attbi_s03...

This is interesting to me because I think I may have suffered from this
just recently. It rings allot of bells. I have this ache in my left
butt cheek that radiates down my left leg. I've been calling it my hip.
I thought maybe it was tendonitis in my hip. I'm pretty much Ok if I'm
up and moving but the moment I sit down or lie down its unbearable. This
was just last week when it got worse because I was working allot of
hours. 2 nights I spent up and down from bed, until I went exhausted,
and slightly hysterical to the sofa and finally got a couple of hours
sleep. I have tried every over the counter pain med I could find and
even resorted to taking a vicoden I had gotten from the dentist some
time back which didn't bring allot of relief. I was blaming this on
working too much and my broken tailbone from several years back. Since
I've had a few days off the pain has lightened up. I had no idea
sciatica existed. Thanks for the thread. I'm going to have this checked
out. Any suggestions on how to manage this when it's worse?

Susan
280/189(yay! another lb down today)/140

It does sound like what I have, Susan, which I have already described
in this thread so won't repeat here. I started by thinking it was my
hip, but then I realised that nerve pain made a lot more sense.
Whether I've been in pain all night has no effect on whether it hurts
during the following day. It can come and go and doesn't leave
stiffness like a muscle pain would do. The first thing I was glad to
find was that pain in the hip joint is felt mostly in the groin. I
dread having arthritic hips.

It was finally doing a lot of reading on the internet about symptoms
(thigh pain, etc,) which led me to suspect sciatica, which although
I'd heard of it I had no real idea what it was.

I can't offer any suggestions for dealing with the pain when it gets
really bad. Personally, I don't take pain killers unless pain is
really unbearable. My worst problem with this is the shooting pains
that come so often when I lie down. It does sound a lot like what you
have.

janice
  #9  
Old July 18th, 2004, 03:03 AM
SnugBear
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default sciatica, for janice

"susanjoneslewis" wrote:

This is interesting to me because I think I may have suffered from this
just recently. It rings allot of bells. I have this ache in my left
butt cheek that radiates down my left leg.


And it also sounds like what got me out the door walking on February 20,
2002. Nothing made the pain stop except walking for a week.

The rest is history g

--
Walking on . . .
Laurie in Maine
207/110 60 inches of attitude!
Start: 2/02 Maintained since 2/03
  #10  
Old July 18th, 2004, 05:54 AM
janice
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default sciatica, for janice

On 18 Jul 2004 02:03:30 GMT, SnugBear wrote:

"susanjoneslewis" wrote:

This is interesting to me because I think I may have suffered from this
just recently. It rings allot of bells. I have this ache in my left
butt cheek that radiates down my left leg.


And it also sounds like what got me out the door walking on February 20,
2002. Nothing made the pain stop except walking for a week.

The rest is history g


I wish walking had cured me Laurie. I managed to do a week's
hillwalking earlier in the summer but the pain was still bad every
night when I lay down. Thank goodness it hasn't actually stopped me
going for long walks, anyway.

janice
 




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